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Shell joins offshore ‘race to the bottom’

OIL giant Shell was blasted yesterday for joining a “dangerous and quickening race to the bottom” as it announced 250 job losses and attacks on shift patterns in the North Sea.

Rival company Taqa announced a cull of 100 more jobs.

The latest blow to the offshore industry comes less than a week after Chancellor George Osborne announced £1.3 billion in tax breaks.

Shell’s profits reached more than £10bn last year, while chief executive Ben van Beurden was paid £18 million — the second highest in the FTSE 100.

Offshore union Unite’s Pat Rafferty branded the situation a “growing scandal which could turn into a catastrophe.”

Fellow offshore union GMB will announce the results of a consultative strike ballot today. National officer for oil and gas David Hulse said bosses’ unilateral action would further damage deadlocked talks.

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